Michail Antonio has released the first photo from after his car crash as the West Ham star revealed his haunting memories before the horror accident in December 2024.
The 34-year-old was taken to hospital with a broken leg after being cut from the wreckage of his £260,000 grey Ferrari by fire crews in Essex.
It came after Antonio was trapped for more than 45 minutes and feared for his life after colliding with a tree on his way home from a training session in Epping Forest.
The West Ham star remembers the weather ‘was windy, wet and horrific’ as Met Office issued warnings due to Storm Darragh.
‘The police came and when they found me I was in between the two seats. I wasn’t actually in the driver’s seat,’ said Antonio in an interview with BBC’s Morning Live on Monday.
‘They said it looked like I was trying to climb out of the window, but because my leg was so badly broken the pain probably stopped me from being able to get out.
Michail Antonio has released the first photo from after his horror car crash back in December
The 34-year-old broke his leg when his £260,000 grey Ferrari collided with a tree in Essex
Antonio doesn’t remember speaking to emergency services while being taken to the hospital
The forward was urgently taken to the hospital and released 24 days after the accident.
When quizzed whether he remembers anything about the crash, Antonio said ‘nothing’.
He continued: ‘It’s weird, because the whole way through this, I have been told that I was awake and was speaking to everybody – the police, the people, and the person who found me.’
But the West Ham forward has revealed he had doubts about taking his Ferrari out for a trip in a highly risky weather.
‘The back of the car kept swinging out on me, so I didn’t feel safe’, he added. ‘I had had it for three weeks and I was already thinking about giving it back.
‘My leg was completely shattered and they got me out and put a splint on it by the side of the car.
‘Everyone believed I got an air ambulance out, but the helicopter couldn’t get off the ground because of the storm, so I was driven to the hospital.’
It is understood that Antonio continues his recovery but will not be able to play again this season.
Antonio is not expected to step on a football pitch this season as he continues his recovery
Jamaica head coach Steve McClaren said ‘warrior’ Antonio is targeting a return in September
The forward is the club’s all-time record Premier League goal scorer and joined in 2015
Sources close to the player said he was lucky to be alive after the accident, considering the damaged state of his Ferrari.
Antonio was forced to spend the festive period under medical supervision due to his severe injury. Initially it was thought that the recovery will take up to 12 months, but previous reports stated that the forward is set to return to individual training sessions next month.
‘It gave me a weird feeling in my stomach,’ he added. ‘It just made me realise how close I was to dying. I had seen the pictures but it was 10 times worse in person. The car was an absolute mess. It was difficult for me.
‘Since the crash, I’ve been more emotional than I have ever been in my life, but I feel like it’s better. Therapy is one of the best things that’s happened to me in my life.
When quizzed whether he will return to the pitch in no time, Antonio confidently said ‘yes, 100 per cent’.
However, he is out of contract in the summer of 2025 and a decision over his future at the London Stadium has not been made.
The Hammers striker hopes to make a splash for Jamaica later this year after national team coach Steve McClaren revealed he is aiming to feature in their World Cup qualifiers in September.
It came after Antonio completed a recovery programme in February.
‘I shattered my femur bone in four different places,’ he continued. ‘I had one single keyhole surgery. They put a pole in my thigh with four bolts, so screws and bolts to knit it back together.
‘My first surgeon said he didn’t want me to put any weight on my leg for three months, which is around about now, and you can see that I am walking.
‘We got a second specialist who said I needed to start putting weight on it, increasing from 10 per cent up to 100 per cent within three weeks. But I kept my crutches for a further two weeks. Overall, they say it will be between six to 12 months before my leg starts healing properly.’
Morning Live is made by BBC Studios Entertainment Productions. Watch weekdays from 9.30am on BBC One.
